tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42694931545763357362024-03-14T00:22:15.782-07:00River Dogging 2008pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-55191405521249317002009-12-05T09:10:00.000-08:002009-12-05T09:11:26.986-08:00<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:180%;"><a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/2009/12/may-we-keep-them-please.html">Check it out.</a></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-91554960712721719122009-02-01T13:12:00.000-08:002009-02-01T13:31:02.830-08:00Lovely paths along the strand...<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRxqXJxvI/AAAAAAAACBA/hDLLuRGpLlU/s1600-h/ski+trail.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297941556530628338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRxqXJxvI/AAAAAAAACBA/hDLLuRGpLlU/s400/ski+trail.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> How did this path get so nicely tamped down? We had our answer about halfway through the walk, when a cross-country skier begged pardon to play through.<br /></span><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRxqXqTaI/AAAAAAAACA4/3lviVPLSYqI/s1600-h/btm+of+gould.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297941556532759970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRxqXqTaI/AAAAAAAACA4/3lviVPLSYqI/s400/btm+of+gould.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> A small copse of trees, lined with brush piles, makes a wonderful habitat for animals to make dens where they can sleep away the harsh winter.<br /></span><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRCXMQhAI/AAAAAAAACAw/RBpUytANeu4/s1600-h/behind+jewish+center.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297940743930807298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRCXMQhAI/AAAAAAAACAw/RBpUytANeu4/s400/behind+jewish+center.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> Trudge, trudge, then look back and call the dog. She scampers over the footprints. The crafty pup is hanging back, waiting for me to make more tracks.<br /><br /></span><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRCAR14EI/AAAAAAAACAo/DxiPLdfwTc8/s1600-h/below+demarest.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297940737780211778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRCAR14EI/AAAAAAAACAo/DxiPLdfwTc8/s400/below+demarest.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> At this point the Chemung looks like a vast snowfield. Down river, beyond the Madison Avenue Bridge, the river is thawed and running fast. More on that later.<br /><br /></span><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRCDT9iAI/AAAAAAAACAg/-jmoxJGIe_0/s1600-h/below+morningside.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297940738594408450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRCDT9iAI/AAAAAAAACAg/-jmoxJGIe_0/s400/below+morningside.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><br />In this weather Ellie doesn't stray far. We are behind Pirozzolo Park, in the trails heading upriver. She doesn't like the closeness of the woods in the cold.<br /><br /></span><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRB-5unyI/AAAAAAAACAY/uediOzV8jX8/s1600-h/bend+of+dininny.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297940737410637602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SYYRB-5unyI/AAAAAAAACAY/uediOzV8jX8/s400/bend+of+dininny.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> But the wind is very cold. That is, after all, why we are alone on the strand of river bank. HuggaMutt is ready to look for the car, usually parked either at the Town Offices, or at the bottom of a cul de sac.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">We went home and warmed by the gas fireplace. Wee doggie set Herself in the bay window to guard the neighborhood.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">We'll return when the air is a little less crisp.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">pb</span></div><div><a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Little Pond<br /></span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span></div></div></div></div></div>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-65545582798217496562008-12-03T17:39:00.000-08:002008-12-03T17:58:00.398-08:00Warning: nasty shot below<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Our visit to the Chemung on Tuesday took us behind the power substation across from McWane International, Water Street. We were greeted by eagles, one of whom graciously circled above until I got a decent shot.</span><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; font-family: verdana;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/STc2OyqbwEI/AAAAAAAABbY/sia_nRLmOCk/s400/soaring+eagle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275745116233646146" border="0" /><span style="font-family:verdana;">We visited with other dog owners and wandered the waterfront, but it was really blustery and cold. Eventually we hauled over to Newtown Creek and checked for conditions there.</span><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; font-family: verdana;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/STc1zo5aVUI/AAAAAAAABbI/t4ZWZ570owg/s400/under+the+trestle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275744649755645250" border="0" /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Two other hikers warned us that the water was very high, and it was, indeed.</span><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; font-family: verdana;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/STc1zHWY0pI/AAAAAAAABbA/hlXaD_B56xs/s400/no+thank+you.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275744640750375570" border="0" /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The cold, icy waters rushed by, making a lot of noise, none of it inviting. Ellie decided to give it a miss. Back toward the substation, I was astounded to run across the fully stripped carcass of a deer, perhaps a highway crash victim. The photo is somewhat disturbing, but the most interesting part of the experience for me was my dog's complete lack of interest.</span><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; font-family: verdana;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/STc1zyHb8GI/AAAAAAAABbQ/_4ND9soflv8/s400/stripped+deer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275744652230389858" border="0" /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Apparently it doesn't really smell like anything that would catch her attention. Deer tracks, yes. Complete deer skeleton, no.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Weird.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-89434155037195346552008-11-15T07:53:00.000-08:002008-11-15T08:40:07.045-08:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SR74lUHjfkI/AAAAAAAABZI/mPMKA2rnpO8/s1600-h/eating+grass.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SR74lUHjfkI/AAAAAAAABZI/mPMKA2rnpO8/s400/eating+grass.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268921934009302594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">It</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> had been a week since we'd been to the river, and it was just pouring cats and, well, you-know-what.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ellie hates her slicker, but after a summer of stinky dog, we weren't going to set ourselves up for </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;">wet</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, stinky dog.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Except for Her Nibs, there was nothing worthy of our immense photographic talents. We walked our usual paths to where Ellie goes down into a drainage ditch to the river. The ditch is usually dry. Little thing was nonplussed by the "raging torrent" of rainwater.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frankly, she wouldn't go near it, but I still wanted a clip to save for enjoyment during our next drought.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I did not edit this film at all.</span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz2IIRdgpagVXnVcuh4e5d_GzPYtiv26h53bgyFgkTSHZvSOkWVa8vAYd4hwaYJVXAfNEv79oGTepSqlW19SA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's just to show the runoff from West Elmira streets. Wish we could send it to our drought-ier neighbors.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-20879432135935283852008-11-01T18:15:00.001-07:002008-11-01T18:17:30.358-07:00Happy Fall from RiverDog<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SQz_jEIN9gI/AAAAAAAABXs/0__lWflF9e8/s1600-h/november+morning+gray+010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SQz_jEIN9gI/AAAAAAAABXs/0__lWflF9e8/s400/november+morning+gray+010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263863042357982722" border="0" /></a>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-11797176319684204072008-10-20T12:07:00.000-07:002008-10-20T12:28:05.400-07:00Short Autumn<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here in Upstate New York, leaf peeping season is often cut short by very cool, dry days. We had a rather dry summer, and that compounds the problem.</span><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzY5ozpSGI/AAAAAAAABWw/j9BjzG4wnJY/s1600-h/foggy+pond.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzY5ozpSGI/AAAAAAAABWw/j9BjzG4wnJY/s400/foggy+pond.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259316949580073058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Most mornings in October can begin with fog near the Chemung River.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzY564eWDI/AAAAAAAABW4/7m3tyx_Fu3w/s1600-h/foggy+ducks.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzY564eWDI/AAAAAAAABW4/7m3tyx_Fu3w/s400/foggy+ducks.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259316954432165938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">It makes for poor photography, but deadens sound, so we can get nice and close to our subjects.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzY6lDafjI/AAAAAAAABXA/szhhwcJXc6A/s1600-h/northside+shore.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzY6lDafjI/AAAAAAAABXA/szhhwcJXc6A/s400/northside+shore.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259316965752340018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">When it burns off, we are left with clear, clean skies. This week we had a cold rain, and that washed away a lot of our pretty leaves. But the view is sparkling.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzXpsOdngI/AAAAAAAABWY/ryHoDl_Gvzo/s1600-h/cat+dog+squirrel.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzXpsOdngI/AAAAAAAABWY/ryHoDl_Gvzo/s400/cat+dog+squirrel.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259315576108326402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you've been to our main site, you've already see</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">n</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/2008/10/great-catsquirreldog-standoff.html">this photo and caption</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. Double click the picture for detail.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzXp6F1FZI/AAAAAAAABWg/BArYxYamcIc/s1600-h/leafy+spillway.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzXp6F1FZI/AAAAAAAABWg/BArYxYamcIc/s400/leafy+spillway.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259315579830211986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">We were very cold, unpleasantly so with the wind, but we still walked down to the spillway. The leaves make their leisurely trip downstream.</span><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzXqJtAsUI/AAAAAAAABWo/woC5_IAJ69I/s1600-h/hillside.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPzXqJtAsUI/AAAAAAAABWo/woC5_IAJ69I/s400/hillside.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259315584021082434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Upstream, towards Corning, New York, the colors are really striking. I'm told it's worth a drive through the country. We went to the Red Lobster in Big Flats and took the long drive over the hills. Still plenty of green, so maybe we haven't yet peaked.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-64978037128776709672008-10-12T19:51:00.000-07:002008-10-12T20:03:45.319-07:00Some more color<span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPK4SxYE4EI/AAAAAAAABVw/RvI2Vd0onU8/s1600-h/newtown+fall+visit+.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPK4SxYE4EI/AAAAAAAABVw/RvI2Vd0onU8/s400/newtown+fall+visit+.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256466347726266434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ellie and I pulled into the parking lot across from McWayne, near the retention basins. We were looking for the fall colors, but were somewhat disappointed.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPK4TSC-eSI/AAAAAAAABV4/jIs41WgAcEE/s1600-h/eagle%27s+area+002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPK4TSC-eSI/AAAAAAAABV4/jIs41WgAcEE/s400/eagle%27s+area+002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256466356496136482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is still too early. There are spots of color, here and there, but they are not anywhere near peak. I believe this view is looking towards Quarry Farm. They tell me there are lots of eagles up that way.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPK4TejRqBI/AAAAAAAABWA/KVNwCaXqyds/s1600-h/alert+huggamutt.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPK4TejRqBI/AAAAAAAABWA/KVNwCaXqyds/s400/alert+huggamutt.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256466359852836882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Still, the cooler weather made a much more pleasant walk than we had in the middle of the summer. There are almost no insects to bother us, even under the old railway trestle.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPK4Tw1L6fI/AAAAAAAABWI/pu0UrUAYo7M/s1600-h/park+on+southside.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SPK4Tw1L6fI/AAAAAAAABWI/pu0UrUAYo7M/s400/park+on+southside.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256466364759796210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps the cooler weather made for some pretty sights on the water. This is a view of Brand Park from the Elmira Fire Department river access.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">We always see at least one eagle on each trip, but they stay far, far away from us. This time I watched one perfect Baldy flapping over the water, then suddenly drop and pull out a fish. He then flew to the mouth of Newtown Creek. I spotted it later, but as I say, he wouldn't pose pretty for me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-64090528684631312942008-09-28T16:21:00.000-07:002008-09-28T16:37:53.127-07:00More Touches of Fall<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Ellie and I decided to brave the weather, given that the rains were predicted for the entire week.</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SOASLg4mR9I/AAAAAAAABVA/LO_-nsNrnuw/s1600-h/1red+vine,+west+elmira.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217154529183698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SOASLg4mR9I/AAAAAAAABVA/LO_-nsNrnuw/s400/1red+vine,+west+elmira.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> The everpresent vines. They were the first to turn. Were it not for the colors, this would have been a very bleak morning.<br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SOASLrfhIdI/AAAAAAAABVI/b0z9poA2f84/s1600-h/2leaf+strewn.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217157376778706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SOASLrfhIdI/AAAAAAAABVI/b0z9poA2f84/s400/2leaf+strewn.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> Now the walkway is filling up with leaves. They are falling because of the rain. In the woods, none of the trees have turned, and the walkways are clear.<br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SOASMAUhfEI/AAAAAAAABVQ/uOid8t4AXU8/s1600-h/3doggie+visit.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217162967809090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SOASMAUhfEI/AAAAAAAABVQ/uOid8t4AXU8/s400/3doggie+visit.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Ellie really can't appreciate the color. I'm just glad she's willing to slog in the nonstop rain.<br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SOASMhMkqFI/AAAAAAAABVY/AOzRKj8QMA8/s1600-h/4red+and+yellow.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217171792832594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SOASMhMkqFI/AAAAAAAABVY/AOzRKj8QMA8/s400/4red+and+yellow.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> The rain has lifted and the sky is brightening up. Just a tease, though.<br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SOASNOd6W9I/AAAAAAAABVg/OR5QGj-CiUs/s1600-h/5fall+river.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217183945153490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SOASNOd6W9I/AAAAAAAABVg/OR5QGj-CiUs/s400/5fall+river.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> We hadn't walked far when it started again. We had the entire waterfront to ourselves.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Those are the breaks in Upstate New York, in both the spring and fall.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">pb</span><br /><a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Little Pond<br /></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-81860957357006349142008-09-21T18:03:00.001-07:002008-09-21T18:18:04.837-07:00Summer's Last Hurrah<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a little hard to explain. The HuggaMutt is still in her summery glory. She still wants to visit the strand along the Chemung River bank,</span><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SNbv4ZhtQJI/AAAAAAAABTY/eMInNrKcWIk/s1600-h/backlit+river.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SNbv4ZhtQJI/AAAAAAAABTY/eMInNrKcWIk/s400/backlit+river.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248646167950868626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">but she won't swim. The bright sunlight and greenery belie just how cool it is now. And the river waters</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SNbv4zPTrXI/AAAAAAAABTg/T3sK5K81wMc/s1600-h/golden+green.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SNbv4zPTrXI/AAAAAAAABTg/T3sK5K81wMc/s400/golden+green.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248646174853016946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">are not refreshing. They are very low and weed-choked. More like a pond than a river.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SNbv4_2RTDI/AAAAAAAABTo/WPFb6ePbZDY/s1600-h/bittersweet.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SNbv4_2RTDI/AAAAAAAABTo/WPFb6ePbZDY/s400/bittersweet.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248646178237664306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">We humans see the tell-tale signs of fall. Bittersweet berries peek out from the green trees.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SNbv5NzHGoI/AAAAAAAABTw/YJ5U9ibjc8I/s1600-h/fairweather+clouds.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SNbv5NzHGoI/AAAAAAAABTw/YJ5U9ibjc8I/s400/fairweather+clouds.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248646181982509698" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Even the deep greens are tinged with gold in the bright sun of morning, and the painfully blue sky is another indicator of the changing season. It's a cold blue.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SNbv5ZT7x0I/AAAAAAAABT4/Qq6oQWXBw4w/s1600-h/hunter+heron.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SNbv5ZT7x0I/AAAAAAAABT4/Qq6oQWXBw4w/s400/hunter+heron.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248646185072969538" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">The sun hangs a lot lower in the sky now, too. This picture was taken at 9:30AM not PM. The glare off the water plays tricks with the camera, even though I've programmed it for back light and bright days.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's a little eerie that the camera knows something's up...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">That something is Fall.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blospot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-91433634352232027662008-09-11T07:40:00.001-07:002008-09-11T07:43:17.724-07:00Four herons<span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SMkuDbaN1_I/AAAAAAAABQs/r3b7l7WdpUk/s1600-h/four+herons.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SMkuDbaN1_I/AAAAAAAABQs/r3b7l7WdpUk/s400/four+herons.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244773877481854962" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The quality of this photo was so bad that it took me a minute to realize that there are four birds.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Again, I'm not quite sure what they are. There is obviously one heron here.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But the others?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-23208996851005468432008-09-07T09:12:00.000-07:002008-09-07T09:21:07.359-07:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ellie is never happy to stray too far. As soon as she notices me, she wants to return. Here on the rocks of the retention pond bed, the irregularity and the heat makes walking difficult.</span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz6IVG4JQ1Yr1sYOWbXA4_vujrYpcS3hrs8AGw1bEiXwpACFg4zxzD-4SiZuGrlNxIk80lQ4yT0CZC5nrvZzg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unfortunately, just as soon as she notices me watching, she begins the arduous journey back, even though she is nearly out to the other side.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-20712275591907027092008-08-30T09:23:00.000-07:002008-08-30T09:41:14.340-07:00Last Week of Summer 2008<span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SLl1caUX2aI/AAAAAAAABQM/LXGcekyhKV4/s1600-h/hunting+heron.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SLl1caUX2aI/AAAAAAAABQM/LXGcekyhKV4/s200/hunting+heron.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240348772383840674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since I had to work so much over-time this week, Ellie and I tried to make short hops to the river each morning. This fellow was not even watching for us, he was so entrance in hunting.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The river is very, very low, and the fishing is great. We saw so many eagles wherever we went, but they are not willing photo subjects. They soar too high. I nearly soil my pants on Wednesday when an eagle bolted from a tree right next to me. The tree groaned and cracked a little, but the baldy left silently otherwise. Herons and crows make a racket when they take off.</span><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SLl03lBbHSI/AAAAAAAABP8/MMvtl4O1LZ4/s1600-h/where+eagles+go.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SLl03lBbHSI/AAAAAAAABP8/MMvtl4O1LZ4/s400/where+eagles+go.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240348139601992994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Of course, the eagle was out of sight before I could recover enough to shoot it.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SLl03woUUBI/AAAAAAAABQE/BoWc6k2juiM/s1600-h/downed+piling.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SLl03woUUBI/AAAAAAAABQE/BoWc6k2juiM/s400/downed+piling.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240348142717915154" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://videosfromlittlepond.blogspot.com/2008/08/huggamutt-at-hoffman-creek.html">On Saturday we went to Hoffman Creek</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">, but the greenery is very, very lush. I wasn't dressed properly to repel the elements and insects.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">A few bug bites won't deter a real adventurer. We are not real adventurers; we left for home after about an hour.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-69707457076311985312008-08-13T19:47:00.000-07:002008-08-13T19:51:51.261-07:00Mixed Blessing<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">We recently got word that the DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) will soon be removing trees within 15 feet of the levees. While this may not sound like much, it will be a huge undertaking. It has already begun, unofficially.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">The reason I dread it it is that I count on the trees to protect me from the summer sun. On very hot days, I usually take the HuggaMutt through the woodsy areas. They will diminish.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">But! We have to do whatever is necessary to protect the city from floods like in 1972. Elmira never really recovered from that one.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.stargazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008808130325"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">You can check out what it all means here.</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> See why I dread it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">pb</span><br /><a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Little Pond</span></a>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-47197617256332673422008-08-10T20:12:00.000-07:002008-08-11T12:32:37.472-07:00Dog Days on the Chemung<span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SJ-vtTP7S3I/AAAAAAAABPM/8ROtIqm3NwI/s1600-h/dog+days+gateway.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SJ-vtTP7S3I/AAAAAAAABPM/8ROtIqm3NwI/s400/dog+days+gateway.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233094484823853938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">If you are a frequent visitor to RiverDogging, then you probably recognize the Gateway area. Jones Island is on my right and the levee is on the left. This water runs over stones and is shallow and very clean. Ellie loves it.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SJ-vtvOD2MI/AAAAAAAABPU/FSrCZquSpeU/s1600-h/dog+days+geese.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SJ-vtvOD2MI/AAAAAAAABPU/FSrCZquSpeU/s400/dog+days+geese.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233094492332218562" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">You can see the RiverDog at the far left near the electrical pole. In fact, she is looking for the woodchucks that are always out lazing in the sunshine. The geese are making their usual silly fuss, but she ignores them until they try to run. Silly things don't go far, once they realize she doesn't even notice them.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SJ-vtvzZ3EI/AAAAAAAABPc/WagPOhhTGok/s1600-h/dog+days+heron.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SJ-vtvzZ3EI/AAAAAAAABPc/WagPOhhTGok/s400/dog+days+heron.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233094492488850498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">This stately bird was just over my head in a tree when he decided to go wading. I just about fainted when he dropped down in front of me. What he didn't take into account was that Ellie was poking around under the brush along the shore. Right as I snapped this shot, he took off across the river.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SJ-vty867cI/AAAAAAAABPk/gjiFJ0ChPeY/s1600-h/dog+days+swim.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SJ-vty867cI/AAAAAAAABPk/gjiFJ0ChPeY/s400/dog+days+swim.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233094493334072770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Summer isn't complete without a swim in the shallows of the Gateway area. Her poor eyesight makes Ellie curious about the gurgling water, so she swims out to investigate. The water would be up to my knees or so, but she has to swim for real.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-26752372370412713592008-07-28T05:48:00.000-07:002008-12-09T12:57:35.872-08:00RiverDog: It's a beautiful thing.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SI3ArLmDmhI/AAAAAAAABOY/vrtBq3q_guw/s1600-h/wading+huggamutt.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SI3ArLmDmhI/AAAAAAAABOY/vrtBq3q_guw/s400/wading+huggamutt.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228046590526331410" border="0" /></a><br />pb<br /><a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-51487643811137802532008-07-17T07:56:00.000-07:002008-12-09T12:57:36.314-08:00In the knotweed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SH9iuQbv_8I/AAAAAAAABNo/5wXdg3ORxIE/s1600-h/knotweed+060808.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SH9iuQbv_8I/AAAAAAAABNo/5wXdg3ORxIE/s400/knotweed+060808.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224002639597928386" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sung to the tune of "In the Navy!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >In the knotweed!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >That's where Ellie found a skunk.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >In the knotweed!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >That's why she can't share our bunk.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >In the knotweed.... </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Oh, forget it. It isn't funny, really. She disappeared under the leaves and then there were signs of an epic struggle. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I couldn't move fast enough to draw her back. I then dragged her to the river and doused her good. She dug her nose into the mud along the way.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">After one more dousing, I took her to the nearest boat ramp. Washed her again and again until the stuff was out of her eyes.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.stargazette.com/blogs/pets/srichards/2008/06/how-to-deskunk-pet_27.html">Then home to Google the latest deskunking rituals. </a><span style="font-family:verdana;">We used Dawn Original Scent.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The author of the blog is a coworker at the paper.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Then a call to MammaDog at the SPCA. They will know what to do. Also, MammaDog will be collecting our stinky friend on Friday for their shared custody stint.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Beware the knotweed that grows high enough to hide small animals...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond<br /></a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-45026159900448406792008-07-08T11:30:00.001-07:002008-12-09T12:57:36.511-08:00Rainy July<span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SHOybcxaSUI/AAAAAAAABNQ/NMQmMNpSNuc/s1600-h/rainy+july+morn+001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SHOybcxaSUI/AAAAAAAABNQ/NMQmMNpSNuc/s400/rainy+july+morn+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220712577702185282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">What are we doing, out walking in the rain? Well, HuggaMutt and I can tell you that there is no nicer time to visit the river. In the summer, it's comfortable.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are fewer people and lots less doggie traffic, too. Not only that, but we often see fishermen in their boats when it is raining.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">And Ellie doesn't mind the rain when she is wet from the river, anyway.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Little Pond</span></a><br /><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-45176035731634516312008-06-18T05:09:00.000-07:002008-06-18T05:36:50.851-07:00Pounding Winds, Wading Pup<span style="font-size:130%;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyTqfJMBQ0JF4QIcH_dMxB2IcDJJBKBELqHQdxWdr8RZhYrQ5GjtW7Wx9OCqZCV62jM1KMtUSVWCYMcyAquCA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is the moral equivalent of "Here, let me show you pictures of my grandchildren." </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">We spent a chilly hour in the Gateway area of the Chemung River yesterday. If you go yourself, you will especially want to watch for the tiny frogs that show up occasionally around your feet. It's amazing that they can be so perfect in such miniature.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the back seat, on the way home, Ellie got a tad banged up during a sudden stop, and I myself am very sore in the knees. Rocky terrain and a cold wind combined to leave me lame enough to react a little too slow to a fast oncoming car. I carefully inspected all her bones and muscles and no complaints, but we are visibly affected.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now we are both lame, and will not visit our beloved river today. We are staying close to home, with a fire in the fireplace and some catchup on our blogs.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-73120383924712603702008-06-16T07:47:00.000-07:002008-12-09T12:57:37.191-08:00Danger!<span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SFZ9ULg941I/AAAAAAAABKc/istsfrSDcL8/s1600-h/shore+patrol.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SFZ9ULg941I/AAAAAAAABKc/istsfrSDcL8/s400/shore+patrol.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212491404369847122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ellie's on shore patrol any day we go to the River. Usually the coast is clear.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SFZ9U9c4HhI/AAAAAAAABKk/iysP2oWzf_o/s1600-h/snapper.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SFZ9U9c4HhI/AAAAAAAABKk/iysP2oWzf_o/s400/snapper.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212491417774464530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Monday, though, there was danger in the water. A snapping turtle. This fellow must weigh at least as much as Ellie. I kept her out as soon as it was pointed out by a concerned fisherman.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Little Pond</span></a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-82966944901822366582008-06-08T09:43:00.000-07:002008-12-09T12:57:38.893-08:00Stinky Chemung<span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwNvey2pYI/AAAAAAAABJc/kHJ67WdoqZc/s1600-h/june+at+Newtown+.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwNvey2pYI/AAAAAAAABJc/kHJ67WdoqZc/s400/june+at+Newtown+.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209553978332194178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Right now the entire area around Newtown Creek is intriguing-looking. It's covered in green.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwNwKj-hGI/AAAAAAAABJk/uew27ojZ-Fw/s1600-h/low+creek+ellie.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwNwKj-hGI/AAAAAAAABJk/uew27ojZ-Fw/s400/low+creek+ellie.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209553990080955490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">The creek is very low, almost low enough to cross. But not quite. Ellie can wade and even paddle about.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwNxGIQr5I/AAAAAAAABJs/oqWbPDNkZgo/s1600-h/knotweed+060808.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwNxGIQr5I/AAAAAAAABJs/oqWbPDNkZgo/s400/knotweed+060808.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209554006070833042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">The knotweed is totally overgrown, and quite messy.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwNxtuiZlI/AAAAAAAABJ0/RuRGDtByo6o/s1600-h/stinky+river+ellie.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwNxtuiZlI/AAAAAAAABJ0/RuRGDtByo6o/s400/stinky+river+ellie.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209554016700360274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">With the river so low, everything stinks to high heavens.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwM6l7j0UI/AAAAAAAABJE/ZcxMVVG6E_A/s1600-h/low+river+ducklings.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwM6l7j0UI/AAAAAAAABJE/ZcxMVVG6E_A/s400/low+river+ducklings.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209553069714690370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Naturally, the animals don't care.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwM7aWkIPI/AAAAAAAABJM/ejAPnM8VN5I/s1600-h/low+river+north.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwM7aWkIPI/AAAAAAAABJM/ejAPnM8VN5I/s400/low+river+north.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209553083786600690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">One could almost walk to the city, just along the shore. Inland is just overgrown with weeds.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwM8Jx6KNI/AAAAAAAABJU/5YGAiT64ZQg/s1600-h/recently+mowed+dyke.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEwM8Jx6KNI/AAAAAAAABJU/5YGAiT64ZQg/s400/recently+mowed+dyke.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209553096517757138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the other banks, however, the dykes are freshly mown. Perhaps the RiverHag will pay a little visit this week...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Little Pond</span></a><br /><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-19304003304636951862008-05-31T08:05:00.000-07:002008-12-09T12:57:39.075-08:00A little less sucessful<span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEFpsR5aGXI/AAAAAAAABI0/YhJenzl4S8c/s1600-h/it+poured+dogs+013.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SEFpsR5aGXI/AAAAAAAABI0/YhJenzl4S8c/s400/it+poured+dogs+013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206558853656353138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">because it rained like a son of a gun. Ellie got a toweling when we returned. She hates that, and does a strange, whiny, lower-leveled growl during the whole procedure.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And yet we got one unusual shot. If you click on the photo, you can pick out the individuals marking the top of the water. If it hadn't been raining so hard, I would have filmed their antics. They looked like teeny-tiny jet-skiers zooming across the water.<br /><br />Note: if you slept through the rain that Saturday, you may be surprised we got wet at all. Here are some soaking <a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/2008/05/it-poured.html">wet shots of irises</a> taken even earlier in the morning.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-24833570513816487222008-05-19T07:14:00.000-07:002008-12-09T12:57:40.197-08:00Can you stand it?<span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="FONT-FAMILY: arial" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SDGMwAgoFSI/AAAAAAAABGs/Z1ILoQTxC1A/s1600-h/nursery.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202093800988087586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SDGMwAgoFSI/AAAAAAAABGs/Z1ILoQTxC1A/s400/nursery.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">One more baby picture? I'm sounding like a proud auntie or grammy or something. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">These two seem to be guarding the nursery.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="FONT-FAMILY: arial" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SDGMwggoFTI/AAAAAAAABG0/sHM0efa7fWU/s1600-h/ignoring+us.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202093809578022194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SDGMwggoFTI/AAAAAAAABG0/sHM0efa7fWU/s400/ignoring+us.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">While this flock of extremely large geese are able to swim and dabble and simply ignore my dog and me.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="FONT-FAMILY: arial" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SDGMxAgoFUI/AAAAAAAABG8/_uBGywX3d0A/s1600-h/thornapple+maybe.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202093818167956802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SDGMxAgoFUI/AAAAAAAABG8/_uBGywX3d0A/s400/thornapple+maybe.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Let's call this a thornapple for now. (Let's not; it is actually a wild pear or plum!) Looks like an apple tree, but has nasty thorns. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Overall, I am amazed at how quickly the Spring set in. Everything is very lush and green, not untypical for the Finger Lakes area this time of year. A fairly dry, warm April gave way to a cool, rainy May. Just the opposite of the usual.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">pb</span><br /><a style="FONT-FAMILY: arial" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /><br /><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-80113071726672617962008-05-11T07:38:00.000-07:002008-05-11T07:52:48.994-07:00New Behaviors<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I never thought about how different mommies are from everyone else.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">This week the geese are showing off their new babies, and we are seeing a whole range of new instinctive behavior. The tiny goslings cause reactions we don't see the rest of the years.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Watch the goose instruct her littles ones on how to move on, sort of shooing them with her head and neck.</span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy6Zp6SsyeeZo86tGRSfdqvdrp23MO0nxQwidB91DET6Jhp80xU3iD6sCyJiMLM4ZPPXJ2TUpGvMYs-uSLumA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I love it. I'm becoming a bird nerd!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">pb</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a><br /></span>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-74730255025564054122008-05-06T12:12:00.000-07:002008-05-06T12:30:29.764-07:00Where in the Elmira Area...?<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxYYWI9X2r9rSWlHdvO0WSN583m84lljZ0x775xtAubgnXL5AnRyZoeAaaujkY2dzSUBVFnVABRumbZoFqdFw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Strange things, indeed.<br /><br />pb<br /><a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269493154576335736.post-19997078771491493552008-05-03T08:17:00.000-07:002008-12-09T12:57:41.351-08:00All things green and blue.That's what was showcased by the overcast sky on Saturday. We went to Foster Island. Already the Chemung is low enough that the island isn't isolated any more.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByEdupnUdI/AAAAAAAABFQ/1bdWHFc8GKc/s1600-h/1st+violet.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByEdupnUdI/AAAAAAAABFQ/1bdWHFc8GKc/s400/1st+violet.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196173716352356818" border="0" /></a>There are absolute carpets of these blue flowers.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByD1upnUcI/AAAAAAAABFI/dA3_qKYdSFo/s1600-h/2nd+violet.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByD1upnUcI/AAAAAAAABFI/dA3_qKYdSFo/s400/2nd+violet.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196173029157589442" border="0" /></a>I'm going to call them violets, but I doubt they actually are true violets.<br /><br />No question they are in the viola family. I think we used to call them Johnny Jumpups when I was little.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByDbepnUbI/AAAAAAAABFA/2Jvul_uBei4/s1600-h/1st+fern.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByDbepnUbI/AAAAAAAABFA/2Jvul_uBei4/s400/1st+fern.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196172578186023346" border="0" /></a>These ferns attracted the HuggaMutt, and she pushed her way through them a few times, before they got my attention. I love the way they begin as fiddleheads.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByCr-pnUaI/AAAAAAAABE4/yCwqSwFmOg4/s1600-h/2nd+fern.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByCr-pnUaI/AAAAAAAABE4/yCwqSwFmOg4/s400/2nd+fern.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196171762142237090" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And they are so very, very bright green this time of year!<br /><br />They look good enough to eat.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByCeepnUZI/AAAAAAAABEw/MeFbS3CZUX0/s1600-h/1st+blue+bell.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByCeepnUZI/AAAAAAAABEw/MeFbS3CZUX0/s400/1st+blue+bell.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196171530214003090" border="0" /></a>These flowers seemed new to me, so I just called then Blue Bells.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByCMupnUYI/AAAAAAAABEo/47h3rO5WCDM/s1600-h/2nd+blue+bell.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ikVDgYIVkD4/SByCMupnUYI/AAAAAAAABEo/47h3rO5WCDM/s400/2nd+blue+bell.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196171225271325058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Google Images brought up similar pictures, so unless someone can document a more correct name, Blue Bells it is.<br /><br /><br /><br />Perhaps a nicer day will bring out some other colors, but almost anything with green works for me.<br /><br />pb<br /><a href="http://patspond.blogspot.com/">Little Pond</a></div>pbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568681879593734160noreply@blogger.com0